The Renault Kangoo at a glance

The Renault Kangoo has established itself as a strong competitor in the small van sector. Established in 1998, the second generation Renault Kangoo had been on sale since 2008, making it one of the oldest small vans on the market. This does mean, however, that it was well overdue for a serious update.

Enter the 2022 model: featuring a brand new design – both internally and externally – as well as some upgrades to features we’ve come to expect from vans in this day and age, including autonomous emergency braking, as well as some more unique items such as semi-autonomous driving mode for automatic models that can control both steering and speed in motorway and traffic jam situations. Read on to find out more about the Kangoo’s new look for 2022.

Engines and Spec

Available with eight different engine options, all manual transmissions are six-speed units – a great advantage in contrast to the five-speeds you’ll see in the Kangoo’s rivals. There’s also a dual-clutch automatic available for certain engine specs. With a refined engine, the Kangoo’s steering is light and accurate, and it’s clear it would be an effective small van for city users.

However, when taking it for a spin on faster roads, the engine refinement is swiftly replaced by an invasive amount of road and wind noise. Whilst this is quite the irritant, the Kangoo still feels stable at high speeds, and the adaptable cruise control feels like a much-needed novelty on a van.

Electric vehicle variants of the Kangoo are also available in the form of the e-Kangoo.

Loading Space

The standard Kangoo van’s load space is 3.3m, and the long wheelbase variant has a capacity of 4.2m. These are the figures for a van with a solid bulkhead, but customers are also able to spec their vans with a swivelling bulkhead and a fold-down passenger seat that increases the capacity of both variants to 3.9m and 4.9m respectively. Being able to transport lengths of over 3.0m is a fantastic bonus. The folding system is easy to use, well-designed and efficient. Although it realistically doesn’t offer anything more than the folding bulkhead and seat systems in Renault’s competitors – naley Peugeot and Citreon – it still incorporates a new feature that the past generation lacked.

Another smart feature that you can specify is an interior roof rack, which offers you the ability to carry items such as ladders in a compartment that extends all the way to the front of the van. It also conveniently folds away into the ceiling when not in use. The two features cannot be specced at the same time, however.

The payload for a standard Kangoo van stands at around 600kg, while the long wheelbase variant is 1,000kg (1 tonne). This is a relatively good payload for a van of this size, and definitely matches those of its closest rivals.

Key Features

Interior

The Kangoo’s interior is reminiscent of Renault’s car range, but it does still have a few unique features. Renault boast the greatest shoulder and elbow room out of their competitors, but long-legged drivers might find it hard to adjust their seats far back enough to be comfortable.

There is a decent amount of storage space – an open tray atop the dashboard, a covered compartment behind the gauges and, for models with a singular passenger seat, a sizable centre console.

The Kangoo has also been fitted with Renault’s infotainment system, which despite being a little clunky, is generally accessible and easy to use. It is reinforced with simple climate controls beneath it, and comes with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.

Pros & Cons

The Verdict

Based on its aesthetic appeal, the quality driving experience and 1.0 tonne of payload it offers and the ability to specify with a great range of safety equipment, the Renault Kangoo has safely reestablished itself as a solid contender on the small van market with the 2022 model.  If you’re willing to look past the road noise and irritating driving position, the Kangoo is a brilliant cost-efficient option.

To find out more about what the Renault Kangoo has to offer, be sure to get in touch with Vanaways. With a wide variety of new, used and electric vans to buy and lease, you should look no further than us for your purchase of a singular van or a fleet. We are happy to answer any queries you might have, and can offer expert guidance on choosing the right van per your specifications. Give us a call on 0117 428 7721.